Slide fastener sealing closure



July 8, 1958 w. F. VAN AMBURG ETAL 2,841,851v

SLIDE FASTENER SEALING CLSURE Filed Jan. 29, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July8, 1958 w. F. VAN AMBURG ETAL 2,841,851

SLIDE FASTENER SEALING cLosURE Filed Jan. 29, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN T0R.S` :para 5 July 8, 1958 w. F. VAN AMBURG ETAL 2,841,851

SLIDE FASTENER SEALING CLOSURE Filed Jan. 29 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 July8, 1958 w. F. VAN AMBURG ET AL 2,841,851

SLIDE FASTENER SEALING CLOSURE Filed Jan. 29, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 4f45 i Q7 Til Ti. 1:3. $5.14.

SLIDE FASTENER SEALING CLOSURE William F. Van Amburg, Erie, and WalterM. Redmond and Gail W. Pringle, Meadville, Pa., assignors to Talon,Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 29, 1953, SerialNo. 334,014

6 Claims. (Cl. Ztl-205.1)

This invention relates to slide fastened closures and, moreparticularly, to an improved means for sealing such closures againstleakage.

While conventional slide fasteners make etfective closing devices foropenings, due to their construction and the spacing apart of thefastener elements along the stringer tapes, it is impossible to providea gas or liquid-tight closure with a single fastener. Various types ofclosures have been heretofore suggested and used employing two suchfasteners having sealing means disposed therebetween. While some ofthese sealing means effectively sealed the closure along the majorportion thereof, they did not effectively seal the closure at the endsof the slide fastener structures. Thus, leakage oftentimes occurred atthe ends of the closure and fasteners Vthereby defeating the purpose forwhich the closure was intended and, consequently, discouraging the useof such fasteners for closures which had to be absolutely leak proof forcertain applications.

Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention toprovide not only an improved means for sealing the adjacent margins of aslide fastener closure continuously therealong, but also means forsealing effectively the ends of such slide fastened closures.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved means forsealing effectively both ends of the slide fastened closures andespecially along and around the slider at the closed end of thefasteners.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved sealingmeans for slide fasteners which is simple and inexpensive in itsconstruction and at the same time ellicient and eective in its use.

`It is a more specific object of the present invention to provide animproved end structure for sealing closures for slide fastenerstructures which co-operates with means carried by the slider forsealing effectively the end of the closure when the slider is disposedat that end of the closure and to an improved slider for such purpose.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be moreapparent in the course ofthe following specication, and will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for the purpose ofillustration, an embodiment which our inventionI may assume in practice.

In `these drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view, partly in section, of the improved sealingclosure of our invention, showing the slider in a partially closedposition;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;`

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is asectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. l; Fig. 6 is a sectional viewtaken on line 6--6 of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on line7-7 of Fig. l; Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the toprear side of the closure showing the slider in its fully closedposition;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9--9 of Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is asectional view taken on line 10-10 of Fig.

Fig. l1 is a bottom end view of improved slider of the presentinvention;

Fig. 12 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 13 is a side view of the same; and

Fig. 14 is a rear view thereof. t t

Referring more particularly to Figs. l through 10 o the drawings, theimproved sealing closure of the present invention comprises a pair ofconventional slide fasteners 2 and 3, each consisting of a pair ofStringer` tapes 4 and 5 having spaced-apart interlocking fastenerelements 6 arranged along their marginal edges. There is arranged on thefastener elements 6, a slider, generally designated at 7, forlongitudinal movement therealong for engaging` and disengaging the samein a well known manner.

Between the two fasteners 2 and 3 there is arranged a pair oflongitudinally extending sealing members 8 and 9, which are madepreferably of rubber, but: which may be made from any other suitablerubber-like or resilient material. These sealing members 8 and 9 haverelatively large opposed inner marginal edge portions 10 and 12,respectively, with the body portions thereof tapering outwardly to theouter edges thereof. These marginal edge portions 10 and 12 havepreferably curved opposed inner edges, but may be square if desired, andhave longitudinally extending tubular portions 13 and 14, respectively,arranged therein extending throughout the length thereof. These tubularportions 13 and 14 are preferably substantially tear-drop incross-section and are spaced inwardly of the marginal edges 10 and 12 soas to provide relatively thin and pliable opposed wall portions 15 and16, respectively, along the inner edges thereof. The marginal edgeportions 10 and 12 are disposed and extend a slight distance beyond theouter ends of the fastener elements 6 for a purpose hereinafter to bedescribed.

The sealing members 8 and 9 are secured to the stringer tapes 4 and 5,preferably by vulcanizing, but may be attached thereto in any othersuitable manner. The body portions of the Stringer tapes and the sealingmembers are also joined together, preferably by vulcanizing, to theadjacent margins 17 and 18 of the opening in the wall of the article tobe closed, such as life-saving suits, aviators garments, tents, footwearor other articles.

Atv the closing end of each of the slide fasteners 2 and` 3, there isprovided preferably a bridge-type top stop 19 which is attached to theopposed edges of the Stringer tapes 4 and 5 immediately beyond theendmost fastener elements of the respective stringers for holding theends of the tapes together and for limiting and positioning the sliderin its fully closed position. Also, in accordance with the presentinvention, there is positioned at the closing end of the fastener, anelongated resilient forklike member 20 having leg portions 21 and 22 andan outer eye-like portion. 23. Each of the leg portions 21 and 22 hasopposed outwardly extending olf-set portions 24 and 25, resepticevly,arranged therein intermediate the length thereof so as to provide aspace therebetween. This worklike members is disposed between thefasteners 2 and 3 adjacent the ends thereof and extends substantiallyparallel thereto with the leg portions 21 and 22 thereof extending intoand disposed in the tubular portions 13 and 14 of the sealing members 8and 9 adjacent l the end of the closure, as more clearly shown in Figs.

`Patented July 8, `1958 respective-bridge stops 19 of the respectivefasteners. In the-endofeach of these legportionsl there is arranged aneye portion 28 by means of which they are secured to the Stringer tapes4,and and the sealing members 8 and 9; as: at 29, bymeans of rivets-orboltsextending therethrough. Theseeye portions 2S-` and the fasteningmeansk 29 are positioned directly opposite and in alignment withioneanother and' with the off-setportions- 24 and 25 'of the fork-likemember for a purpose to bedescribed hereinafter.

At the oppositeiend ofv each of the fasteners 2 and 3 immediately belowthe endmost fastener elements 6 thereof, there is arranged aconventional bottom stop 30 forsecurely holdingthestringerstogether atthe bottom end of the fasteners and which stops act to limit themovement of the slider-7 in its opening-direction. There isalso-arranged at the lower end of the fasteners, preferablyan elongatedresilient fork-like member 31, similar to the fork-like member 20,having leg portions 32 which also extend into and are disposed in thetubular portions 13 and 14 ofthe sealing members 8 and 9 adjacent thisendof the closure. It is the-purpose of this fork-like member 31 to holdthe marginal edges of the sealing members 8 and 9in abutting relation atall times so as to seal effectively the closure around the bottom stops30 and the fastener elements 6 at the lower end of the closure.

Attention is now directed to Figs. ll through 14 of the drawings whichshow more clearly the improved slider or runner of our invention. Thisslider consists of a body member which is preferably die-cast having apair of spaced-apart wing portions 35 and 36 which have marginal flangeportions 37 and 38, respectively. Positioned inwardly of the wingportions 35 and 36 at a spaced distance therefrom, there is arrangedplate-like portionsA 39 and.40,- respectively, which are connected atone end thereof to these respective wing portions by neck portions 41and 42, respectively, so as to provide substantially a Y-shaped channelbetween these wing portions and their respective plate-like portions forthe reception and passage of the fastener elements 6 of the fasteners 2and 3 in the movement of the slider for opening and closing thefasteners. The plate-like portions 39V and 40 extend preferably asubstantial distance above the upper edges offthe wing portions 35and 36and are spaced from one another for the-reception therebetween of themarginal edges 10 and 12 of the sealing members 8 and 9, and areintegrally connected together centrally thereof by means of anintermediate web-like portion 43, which is preferably diamond oroval-shape in cross section. Thus, it will be seen that a double sliderconstruction is providedfwithlthe slider body portions being integrallyconnected together by the intermediate web-like portion 43 and disposedon vopposite sides of the sealing members 8 and 9 for opening andclosing the fasteners 2 and 3. On the outer side of the wing portion 35there is arranged an elongated lug portion 44 to which a pull member 45is miovably attached for manipulating thev slider to open and close thefasteners in a well known manner.

It will be understood thatV when the slider 7 is in its assembledpostion in the closure that the fastener elements 6 of one of thefasteners are disposed between one of the wing portions and itsrespective plate-like member and that the fastener elements of the-otherfastener are disposed between the other wing portion andits respectiveplate-like portion so as to provide a separate slider body portion foreach of the fasteners 2 and 3. Ashereinbefore described, the sealingmembers 8 and 9 are positioned between the fasteners 2 and 3 with themarginal edges10 and 12 thereof extending in opposed relation beyond thcouter-ends of the opposed fastener elements` 6 of the-fasteners, as moreclearly shown in- Figs. l and 3. It will be seen that these marginaledge portions are disposed in thespace centrally of the slidery 7between; the plate-likeportious 3 9 Vand `40 thereof andv 4 extendaround the intermediate web-like portion 43 arranged therebetween;

Having described the construction of our improved sealing closure, itsfunction will now be described more in detail. When the slider 7 ismanipulated to close the fasteners, i. e., to engage the fastenerelements 6 of the respective fasteners 2 and 3, the opposed marginaledges 10 and 12 ofthe sealing members 8 and 9 will gradually be forced;inwardly together in abutting relation due to the closing action of theslider on the elements 6 so as to assume substantially the positionshown in Figs. 5 and 7 of the drawings. That is to say, the inner wallportions 15 and 16 of the sealing members 8 and 9 are brought intoabutting relation and flattened so as to provide a substantial area ofcontact along the abutting edges. In such closed position, it will beunderstood that these outer wall portions 15 and 16 are held yieldablyin contact with one another due to the inherent resilientcharacteristics--ofV the material of the sealing members andithat thesemarginal edges or walls are-held securely in abutting relation due tothe interlocking action of the fastener elements 6 ofthe fasteners 2 and3'.

When the slider 7 is moved-to and disposed in tsf fully closed position,as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, itv

will be seen that the upper ends of the slider body portions abut theinner sides of the bridge stops 19 which stops not only limit themovement of the slider in its closingA direction but also act toposition the slider relative to. the fork-like member 20 and the springmembers 26. In such fully closed position the opposed off-set portions24 and 25 of the leg portions 21 and 22 of the fork-like member 20,whichoif-set portions provide a space therebetweenconformingsubstantially to the cross-section or outer-contour of the web-likeportion 43 of the'slider, are disposed directly opposite this web-likeportion. T hese-leg portions, dueto the inherent resiliency thereof,hold securely the thin wall portions of 15` and 16` ofthe sealingmembers 8 and 9 snugly together in the vicinity of the slider and aroundthe web-like portion 43 so as to prevent leakage around the slider andat this end vofthe closure when the fasteners are fully closed.r It isthe purpose of the spring members 26 to assist the leg portions 21'and22 of the fork-like member-20 in forcing the marginal edges of thesealing members together and around this web-likeportion of the slider.Thus, it will be seen that the fork-like member 20 and the spring member26 function together to hold the marginal edges of the sealing members 8and 9 securely in abutting relation and,y

around the web-likevportion43of thevslider so as to prevent leakagetherearound andat this end of the closure.

It will be understood that when the slider is moved in a direction tolopen the closure, the fastener elements 6 arel disengaged therebyvpermitting the marginal abutting edges ofthe sealing members to moveapart due tothe inherent characteristics of the material thereof, asshownV in Fig. 3.' Theweb-like portion 43 of the slider acts as a plowalso to force the marginal edges of the sealing members apart as theslider is moved along the closure, as shown in Fig. 4, therebypermitting entry to the inner side of the closure.

As a result of our invention, it will be seen that there is provided` asealing closure construction for slide fas-- teners, which not onlyseals effectively the closure against leakage throughout the lengththereof, but also seals effectively the closure around the slider at theclosing end thereof where leakage is Vmost apt to occur, which isv oneof the most important advantages of the present invention. It will beseen also that there is provided an improved slider which co-operateswith a novel end construction to effect this eiiicient sealing at theend of the closure.

While we have shown and described an embodiment which our inventionmayassumeV in practice, it willbe understood that. this embodiment ismerelyv for the-pur:

defined in the appended claims.

fasteners are closed, a resilient fork-like member arrangedv at theclosing end of said opening having the leg portions thereof arranged inside-by-side relation and extending and disposed in the hollow portionsof said marginal edge portions adjacent the end thereof which areadapted to hold the opposed wall portions in abutting relation, said legportions being offset intermediate the length thereof so as to providesubstantially an oval-shaped space therebetween, `a slider arranged onsaid fastener elements for engaging and disengaging the same, saidslider comprising a pair of spaced-apart wing portions which aredisposed on the outer sides of the fastener elements of each of saidslide fasteners and a plate-like portion spaced inwardly of each of saidwing portions and integrally connected to their respective wing portionsby a neck portion so as to provide substantially a Y-shaped channelbetween each of said wing portions and their respective opposedplate-like portions for receiving the fastener elements of therespective fasteners, said plate-like members being spaced from oneanother and integrally connected together by a web-like portionsubstantially diamond-shape in cross section, the marginal edge portionsof said sealing members being disposed between said plate-like portionsto either side of said web-like portion, said web-like portion adaptedto be disposed in the oval-shape space between the leg portions of thefork-like member when the slider is moved to its fully closed positionat that end of said opening whereby the marginal edge portions of saidsealing members are held tightly together and around said web-likeportion so as to prevent leakage through the opening at that endthereof.

2. A closure for opposed edges of a slotted opening, as dened in claim1, including a resilient member having portions extending to the outersides of the marginal edge portions of the sealing members and the outersides of leg portions of the fork-like member for aiding in forcing theleg portions of said fork-like member and the opposed abutting edgeportions of the sealing members together.

3. A closure for the opposed edges of a slotted opening, as defined inclaim 2, wherein the resilient member having portions extending to theouter sides of the marginal edge portions of the sealing members and theouter sides of the leg portions of the fork-like member consists of apair of substantially U-shaped members with one arranged on either sideof the closure directly opposite each other, the ends of the legportions of said U-shaped members being attached to one another byrivet-like members extending through the sealing members, the fastenerstringers and the ends of said leg portions.

4. A closure for the opposed edges of a slotted opening, as dened inclaim 1, including means arranged along the marginal edge portions ofthe sealing members at the opposite end of the opening for maintainingsecurely the opposed marginal edge portions of said sealing members inabutting relation at all times.

5. A closure for the opposed edges of a slotted opening comprising apair of slide fasteners having a series of spaced-apart interlockingfastener elements larranged along the opposed edges of the stringersthereof, a longitudinally extending sealing member of a resilientmaterial arranged between said fasteners and which are securely attachedto the stringers thereof, each of said sealing members having anenlarged marginal edge portion which portions are adapted to abut oneanother when the fasteners are closed, a resilient fork-like memberarranged at the closing end of said opening having leg portions arrangedin side-byside relation and which are embedded in the marginal edgeportions of the sealing members adjacent the end of the opening andwhich are adapted to hold the opposed marginal edges in abuttingrelation, said leg portions being formed intermediate the length thereofso as to provide substantially an oval-shaped space therebetween, aslider arranged on said fastener elements for engaging and disengagingthe same, said slider comprising a pair of spaced-apart wing portionswhich are disposed on the outer sides of the fastener elements of eachof said slide fasteners, a plate-like portion spaced inwardly of each ofsaid wing portions and integrally connected to their respective wingportions by a neck portion so as to provide substantially a Y-shapedchannel between each of said wing portions and their respective opposedplatelike portions for receiving the fastener elements of the respectivefasteners, said plate-like members being spaced from one another andintegrally connected together by a web-like portion substantiallydiamond-shape in cross section, the marginal edge portions of saidsealing members being disposed between said plate-like portions toeither side of said web-like portion, said web-like portion adapted tobe disposed in the oval-shape space between the leg portions of thefork-like member when the slider is moved to its fully closed positionat that end of said opening whereby the marginal edge portions of saidsealing members are held tightly together and around said web-likeportion so as to prevent leakage through the opening at that endthereof, and a resilient member having portions extending to the outersides of the marginal edge portions of said sealing members and theouter sides of the leg portions of said fork-like member for aiding inforcing the leg portions of said fork-like member and the opposedabutting edge portions of said sealing members together.

6. A closure for the opposed edges of a. slotted opening, as defined inclaim 5, wherein the resilient member having portions extending to theouter sides of the marginal edge portions of the sealing members and theouter sides of the leg portions of the fork-like member consists of :apair of substantially U-shaped members with one arranged on either sideof the closure directly opposite each other, the ends of the legportions of said U-shaped members being attached to one another byrivet-like members extending through the sealing members, the fastenerstringers and the ends of' said leg portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,734,434 Hutchins Nov. 5, 1929 2,321,926 Marinsky June 15, 19432,347,583 Vartabedian Apr. 25, 1944 2,454,214 Sapp Nov. 16, 19482,494,249 Krupp Ian. 10, 1950 2,496,878 Krupp Feb. 7, 1950 2,521,174Krupp Sept. 5, 1950 2,535,391 Clarke Dec. 26, 1950 2,641,037 GossnerJune 9, 1953 2,753,609 Gossner July 10, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 557,418Great Britain Nov. 19, 1943 650,599 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1951

